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  Emergency heart sensor patchRelated Patent Categories: Surgery, Diagnostic Testing, Cardiovascular, Heart, Detecting Heartbeat Electric SignalThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060030781. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is related to co-pending patent application entitled Heart Disease Detection Patch, filed jointly with this application, which application is incorporated herein in its entirety by the reference herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] The invention relates to non-invasive electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. More particularly, the invention relates to heart condition detection during an emergency. [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0005] Cardiovascular diseases contribute to about 2.4 million deaths annually in the United States alone. Estimates of the number of heart attacks range from 1.2 to 1.5 million with 700,000 new cases reported annually. About 50% of deaths occur within one hour of a heart attack and prior to reaching a hospital. Heart attack symptoms are varied and can be confused with other ailments. Signs of a heart attack include discomfort in the chest, the stomach, and the neck, shortness of breath, nausea, light-headedness, and breaking into cold sweat. Although heart attacks are serious and can lead to death, the symptoms are too often unrecognized, leading to an otherwise preventable death. Seeking prompt medical help, particularly during the first 30 minutes of a heart attack is considered critical for the outcome of a heart attack. This is particularly the case in dealing with blood clots formed during a myocardial infarction (MI), a major form of a heart attack For survivors, delay in recognition and treatment of a heart attack leads not only to damage to the heart tissue but also to other vital organs such as the brain. The consequence of delayed recognition and treatment also leads to higher cost of treatment and lower quality of life for the survivor. [0006] Conversely, a false alarm due to symptoms similar but unrelated to the heart, leads many people to rush to emergency centers unnecessarily. This not only causes tremendous emotional and financial stress to the individual and the family, but also contributes to the stress on the health care system, which is already overwhelmed in many communities throughout the world. Therefore, improved and speedy diagnosis of a heart condition during a medical emergency not only saves lives but also reduces stress and cost to the health care system and society in general. [0007] However, detection of heart conditions during an emergency remains problematic with conventional methods and instruments. Pulse detection, a basic indicator of heart activity, is often inadequate for assessing the possibility of a heart attack. The average person, e.g. spouse, family member, friend, or a bystander, assisting the affected person may not be skilled in the art of pulse palpation. The emergency situation can also make pulse detection more difficult due to the emotional stress or the environment of the occurrence. Even if a pulse is detected, assessment of the cardiac condition based on heart rate alone is inadequate in view of possible abnormalities. [0008] The non-invasive sensing of surface potentials of cardiac electrical activity, i.e. the electrocardiogram (ECG), remains one of the most reliable and effective methods for proper diagnosis of cardiac function. Conventional ECG methods involve attaching electrodes to the body, mostly on or near the heart area on the chest, and connecting electrode wires (cables) to an electronic instrument having a monitor that displays the ECG waveform. Key parameters, such as heart rate, are normally displayed as well. [0009] Heart abnormalities are generally visually observed by medical personnel skilled in ECG interpretation. ECG interpretation can also be automated by a microprocessor (processor) incorporated within the ECG instrument. The cost, bulk, and complexity of standard ECG instruments render its application impractical outside medical settings. Unfortunately, most emergencies occur outside medical settings, such as at home, businesses, restaurants, and vehicles. [0010] Holter monitors are specialized instruments for long term ECG monitoring at home (for example see U.S. Pat. No. 6,456,872 to Faisandier). These instruments use five or more ECG electrodes attached to the chest at one end and to a portable device on the other end. The device is worn or strapped to the body for recording ECG signals in its memory. Holter monitors may also incorporate an alarm for warning the patient of an adverse cardiac event. After 24 or 48 hours of monitoring the Holter monitor is typically returned to the clinic, where the recorded ECG data are downloaded for viewing, record keeping and for further analysis if necessary. Trans-telephonic data transmission of ECG data is also widely employed for individuals who require longer term or daily monitoring of ECG. Holter monitors and other portable ECG instruments are also relatively expensive, cumbersome, and offered only to select patients as prescribed by a physician. [0011] Cardiac event recorders are hand-held ECG devices with integrated electrodes for instant momentary self-application of the device on the chest whenever a cardiac event is suspected, i.e. heart palpitation, dizziness, chest pain. Conventional ECG event recorders are rugged reusable devices and record only a few minutes of ECG data. [0012] There are also a variety of non-medical consumer-oriented heart and pulse monitors available for wellness and fitness applications. These are offered in the form of wristwatch, belt-worn, and pocket-worn devices. These devices may have built-in electrodes or may be supplied with cable-connected electrodes for sensing and computing ECG parameters, such instantaneous and average heart rate. Although considerably less expensive than Holter monitors and ECG event recorders, these monitors offer little diagnostic capability and, thus, are not suitable for medical applications. [0013] There is a need for a simple, reliable and low cost device for heart condition detection and indication. However, prior art instruments and methods fall short in achieving the objectives of this invention stated below. [0014] For example, U.S. patent application No. 2003/0069510 to Semler discloses a disposable vital signs monitor in the form of a patch having a "flexible, nominally flat planer form having integral gel electrodes, a sticky-back rear surface, an internal flex circuit capable of sensing, recording, and play out several minutes of the most recently acquired ECG waveform data and a front surface that includes an output port preferably having one or more snap connectors compatible with lead harness . . . . " This playback and analysis is presumably performed in a medical setting under the supervision of skilled medical personnel. In another embodiment of Semler's invention, the monitor is remotely controlled by telemetry and is capable of delivering pacer or defibrillation pulses to the patient. Although inexpensive as a disposable ECG event recorder, it offers no integral analysis or indication of the heart condition. Therefore, Semler's invention has limited application, if any, for the assessment of a person's heart condition during an emergency. [0015] U.S. patent application No. 2003/0083559 to Thompson discloses a peripheral monitor patch for attachment to a patient including high capacity memory for storage and later retrieval of the recorded ECG data. The patch comprises novel non-contact electrodes. The patch neither provides diagnostic capability, nor indication of heart condition. [0016] U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,959 to Thompson discloses a smart patch with nano-spikes for improving the electrode-skin contact. The '959 invention does not provide built-in diagnostic and indicators to detect and indicate a heart condition, and thus is not suitable for dealing with medical emergencies. [0017] Kagan et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,072 disclose a disposable blood flow monitor which is adhered directly to the skin above the vessel to be monitored. Kagan's invention does not deal with analysis or indication of heart function, and thus is not suitable during a medical emergency. [0018] Hagan et al in U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,636 discloses a pulse sensing patch with an indicator for displaying a visually recognizable pattern of detected pulses. As discussed above, pulse detection provides in adequate diagnosis during a medical emergency. [0019] It would be advantageous to provide a disposable low cost non-invasive heart condition detector and indicator for use in a medical emergency. [0020] It would be further advantageous to provide an automatic heart function test that is simple to self-administer or be administered by a layperson assisting a person experiencing a medical crisis. [0021] It would be further advantageous to provide detection and indication of a heart condition rapidly, e.g. and within 90 seconds. [0022] It would be further advantageous to provide interim heart monitoring means until the arrival or presence of medical personnel. Continue reading... Full patent description for Emergency heart sensor patch Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Emergency heart sensor patch patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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